I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just tell us to avoid troublemakers; it urges us to "mark" them first. This means we need to be actively discerning and observant, not passively letting division creep in, but intentionally identifying those who sow discord contrary to the foundational teachings we've received.
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul, nearing the end of his letter, shifts from his grand theological arguments to practical instructions for the church in Rome. Having laid out the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, he warns them to be on guard against those who would disrupt this peace by teaching things contrary to the gospel they had received. He urges them to identify and steer clear of such individuals to protect the unity and purity of their faith.
Ever felt that unsettling nudge when something just doesn't sound right in a teaching? Paul warns about people who actively create rifts within the community.
Paul calls believers to 'watch out for those who cause divisions.' This isn't about minor disagreements, but about people actively creating factions or parties within the church. These divisions are dangerous because they:
Paul doesn't just say to notice these divisive people; he gives a clear directive on how to respond to them. What does it mean to 'avoid them'?
The second part of Paul's instruction is to 'avoid them.' This is a crucial, practical step beyond just identifying a problem:
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This isn't about harshness or condemnation, but about wise self-preservation and safeguarding the integrity of the faith community.
Understand the original words
didachē · Greek Noun
The body of truth, teaching, or apostolic instruction delivered by Christ and his apostles, which serves as the authoritative foundation for Christian faith and conduct.
The warning in Romans 16:17 is deeply rooted in Paul's extensive experience with divisions and false teachings in churches like Corinth and Galatia. He's addressing potential threats to the unity and core doctrine of the Roman church, drawing on lessons learned from past struggles.
c. AD 50-52
Paul's Ministry in Corinth
During Paul's extended stay in Corinth, he dealt with significant divisions and doctrinal disputes, particularly between Jewish and Gentile believers, which would have informed his later warnings.
c. AD 55-56— this verse
Writing of Romans from Corinth
Paul writes the Epistle to the Romans, likely from Corinth, aiming to unify Jewish and Gentile believers and address potential sources of division.
c. AD 56
Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians
This letter, written earlier, heavily addresses divisions within the Corinthian church, providing a template for the kind of issues Paul might anticipate or address in other churches.
c. AD 57
Paul's Letter to the Galatians
Paul confronts serious doctrinal disputes, primarily from Judaizers who insisted on Jewish law for Gentile believers, causing division and undermining the gospel.
c. AD 62
Paul's Letter to the Philippians
In his letter to the Philippians, Paul also warns against those who cause divisions and act as enemies of the cross of Christ, echoing themes found in Romans.
This passage echoes Romans 16:17 by warning against those who teach different doctrines and cause division, urging believers to 'turn away' from them and their focus on disputes rather than godly gain.
Titus 3:10-11Similar to Paul's instruction to avoid troublemakers, Titus is told to reject a divisive person after a first and second warning, highlighting the need to address and separate from those who cause persistent discord and error.
2 John 1:10This verse directly instructs believers not to receive those who bring a different doctrine into their homes or offer them a greeting, mirroring Paul's command in Romans to 'avoid' those who cause divisions.
Galatians 1:8-9Paul pronounces a strong anathema on anyone, even an angel, who preaches a gospel contrary to the one he delivered, reinforcing the gravity of diverging from established apostolic doctrine and the need to reject such teachings.
Matthew 18:15-17This passage outlines a process for dealing with sin within the church, which culminates in treating the unrepentant person as an outsider, paralleling the idea of 'avoiding' those who disrupt unity and sound teaching found in Romans 16:17.
vincentRomans 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
Divisions - offenses (τὰς διχοστασίας - τὰ σκάνδαλα)The article with each noun points to some well-known disturbances. The former noun occurs only in Paul.Avoid (ἐκκλίνατε)Better, as Rev, turn aside. Not only keep out of their way, but remove from it if you fall in with them.
jfbRomans 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
- Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned—"which ye learned."and avoid them—The fomentors of "divisions" here referred to are probably those who were unfriendly to the truths taught in this epistle, while those who caused "offenses" were probably those referred…
The verse doesn't just tell us to avoid troublemakers; it urges us to "mark" them first. This means we need to be actively discerning and observant, not passively letting division creep in, but intentionally identifying those who sow discord contrary to the foundational teachings we've received.
Paul, nearing the end of his letter, shifts from his grand theological arguments to practical instructions for the church in Rome. Having laid out the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, he warns them to be on guard against those who would disrupt this peace by teaching things contrary to the gospel they had received. He urges them to identify and steer clear of such individuals to protect the unity and purity of their faith.
Paul, nearing the end of his letter, shifts from his grand theological arguments to practical instructions for the church in Rome. Having laid out the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, he warns them to be on guard against those who would disrupt this peace by teaching things contrary to the gospel they had received. He urges them to identify and steer clear of such individuals to protect the unity and purity of their faith.
"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them." — The verse doesn't just tell us to avoid troublemakers; it urges us to "mark" them first. This means we need to be actively discerning and observant, not passively letting division creep in, but inten…
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Last reviewed October 2026